Do the Silly Symphonies strips hold up?

[alquackskey]

I've been looking into expanding my classics collection as of late; I've been more than happy to get my hands on as many of Taliaferro's Donald strips as possible, but I'm not quite as sure on the Silly Symphonies strips.
So, I wanted to ask what everyone here thinks of them?

With the Donald strips, you know exactly what you're getting; Donald's misadventures in his daily life.
The formula is simple, it's centred around a character we know and love, and they're very easy to get into.

The Silly Symphonies strips, however, seem a little bit more difficult to gauge.
While there are plenty of appearances from beloved characters, there are also plenty of characters that aren't too well-known.
Are the strips featuring these characters interesting? Are they as fun to read as Donald's strips are? 
Plus, given the fact that they're spread out rather than having plenty of dedicated volumes, do the characters get enough time to make a solid impression?

I suppose the main thing I'm asking is if you enjoy the Silly Symphonies strips?
If you don't, what is it that turns you away?
If you do, what is it that makes them enjoyable?

[bats]

It sounds like you're mostly familiar with what the strip was like in its first few years, where it had short sequences based (often REALLY loosely) on recent Silly Symphonies shorts that lasted a few months each. This is what you'll find in vol 1, and these sequences are probably a bit of an aqcuired taste. They're definitely interesting from a historical perspective, and they're short enough they'll go away quickly enough if you don't like a particular one, but entertainment-wise they're a bit uneven. The definite highlight is the Max Hare and Toby Tortoise sequence, which is great fun and really makes you wish these two had got their own strip.

Vol 2-4 are a completely different beast, though, with long stretches of strips featuring a particular major Disney character: The three little pigs, Donald, Pluto, Hiawatha, Jose Carioca and Pachito Pistoles, occasionally interrupted by a shorter sequence based on an upcoming short or movie. If you're on the fence, this is where you should start. And while you've probably read it already, if you haven't, this initial run of Donald strips from before he got his own strip is by far Taliaferro's best and funniest work with the character.

Though I'd still recommend vol 1, it's a fascinating look at the earliest beginnings of Disney comics from way back when being given the assignment to "make Disney comics without Mickey in them" didn't give you a whole lot to work with.

One thing that's also nice to keep in mind is that these early strips were toppers for the Mickey sundays, and really do function quite nicely as a side dish to those. It'd honestly have been nice to have had them in the Mickey Sunday volumes so you'd get the full "intended" experience:

[alquackskey]

Dec 5, 2020 16:20:24 GMT bats said:

It sounds like you're mostly familiar with what the strip was like in its first few years, where it had short sequences based (often REALLY loosely) on recent Silly Symphonies shorts that lasted a few months each. This is what you'll find in vol 1, and these sequences are probably a bit of an aqcuired taste. They're definitely interesting from a historical perspective, and they're short enough they'll go away quickly enough if you don't like a particular one, but entertainment-wise they're a bit uneven. The definite highlight is the Max Hare and Toby Tortoise sequence, which is great fun and really makes you wish these two had got their own strip.

Vol 2-4 are a completely different beast, though, with long stretches of strips featuring a particular major Disney character: The three little pigs, Donald, Pluto, Hiawatha, Jose Carioca and Pachito Pistoles, occasionally interrupted by a shorter sequence based on an upcoming short or movie. If you're on the fence, this is where you should start. And while you've probably read it already, if you haven't, this initial run of Donald strips from before he got his own strip is by far Taliaferro's best and funniest work with the character.

Though I'd still recommend vol 1, it's a fascinating look at the earliest beginnings of Disney comics from way back when being given the assignment to "make Disney comics without Mickey in them" didn't give you a whole lot to work with.

One thing that's also nice to keep in mind is that these early strips were toppers for the Mickey sundays, and really do function quite nicely as a side dish to those. It'd honestly have been nice to have had them in the Mickey Sunday volumes so you'd get the full "intended" experience:

It seems like Volumes 2 and 4 would be a solid starting point; if I enjoy those, I'll probably go for the others eventually, but it feels as though I can't go too far wrong with them!
I've yet to read the initial Donald run, which was mainly why Volume 2 appealed to me, but to hear it praised as some of Taliaferro's best work is quite the endorsement! I adore Taliaferro's work with Donald, so I'll start with that one.
I'd most likely check out Volume 1 eventually, but I can't turn a blind eye to more classic Donald strips, and I have a soft spot for the Caballeros.

I didn't know about them being toppers for Mickey comics, which is actually pretty interesting!
I haven't read much of Mickey in comics; I've been meaning to get around to it, but funds are limited and the Ducks just grab my attention that little bit more!

As it stands, I'm also somewhat trying to prioritize strips that will be difficult to get in future; that's the main reason that Silly Symphonies popped up on my radar.
While things like the Barks and Rosa libraries are readily available on Amazon, Silly Symphonies strips are not as easy to get.
I don't necessarily mind paying a little more in some cases, but in most it's ridiculous; either the book alone will cost over 100 euro, or I have to order from America, with absurd shipping prices and import charges on top of that.
That's why I'm considering grabbing them now, as they'll most likely only get more expensive, if they're available at all.

[bats]

Dec 5, 2020 17:32:29 GMT alquackskey said:

I didn't know about them being toppers for Mickey comics, which is actually pretty interesting!

Stitched back together, this is what the debut strip of the Disney Sunday strip looked like:



It's pretty representative of what the initial strips were like - the Mickey strip is clearly the main attraction, while I wouldn't really say the Silly Symphony one really stands on its own... though it does work okay as a side to the Mickey one.

[alquackskey]

Dec 5, 2020 18:12:46 GMT bats said:

Dec 5, 2020 17:32:29 GMT alquackskey said:

I didn't know about them being toppers for Mickey comics, which is actually pretty interesting!

Stitched back together, this is what the debut strip of the Disney Sunday strip looked like:



It's pretty representative of what the initial strips were like - the Mickey strip is clearly the main attraction, while I wouldn't really say the Silly Symphony one really stands on its own... though it does work okay as a side to the Mickey one.

Ahh, that's pretty interesting!

Admittedly, I got a laugh out of both, though the Silly Symphonies one was stronger.
There is, of course, a case of values dissonance there, but the absurdity of the strip got a laugh out of me.

[djnyr]

The long series of Bucky Bug Silly Symphony pages are the best of the pre-Donald Symphonies strips, to me; the Bucky saga starts slow with the "search for a name" business, but most of it is a highly entertaining and surprisingly successful exercise in whimsical fantasy. The variety of rhyme-schemes and poetical metre is impressive--much more so than the more monotonous rhyming of the later Bucky comic-book stories--and the ingenious miniaturized world of Bucky and his friends is great fun to spend time in. Also, the Fly War sequence, though handled humorously, is full of memorably and unusually violent World War 1-inspired imagery, complete with on-stage mass death. Of the other Symphonies, the first Big Bad Wolf/Three Little Pigs sequence and Ambrose the Robber Kitten stand out to me. The Symphonies were never as fun after they abandoned the rhyming dialogue.

[bats]

Oh, I didn't mean to imply the Bucky Bug strips were bad - they're quite fun once the narrative actually gets going, and Bucky actually sticks around long enough to make a lasting impression - I just never felt most of the first few years of the strip really functioned as a standalone, especially once Bucky leaves and gets replaced by short sequences plugging recent and upcoming cartoons.

Might just be me, though.

[alquackskey]

I decided to bite the bullet and give Volume 2 a try - it seems like the safest bet.

I'll give an update with my opinions once it arrives and I've given it a decent read, and I'll give one of the others a look if all goes well!

Bucky Bug actually does look pretty interesting - one of the Donald Duck Dailies has an introduction that discusses Bucky Bug, and I was pretty impressed by the sequence shown.
Pretty sure it was the above-mentioned Fly War sequence.
Situationally dependent, I might just grab the other three at once if I can after I've given 2 a look!

[bats]

Vol 2 is probably the best one as far as pure entertainment goes, with 67 pages of Donald, 47 pages of the pigs (15 of them dedicated to a retelling of the fourth pig short) and a 20 page adaptation of Snow White interspersed with various other short stories. This is also the point where it loses its anthology feel and transforms into more of a series of unrelated shorter sunday strips runs.

[deb]

Whether or not they “hold up”, Volume One of Silly Symphonies is where it all started, and a treasure trove for fans of early Disney. I absolutely love this style of cartooning, and by the time the strip changed to Donald, Pluto, Hiawatha and feature adaptations, it felt like the magic of early Disney was over. The rhymes! The pie-cut eyes! The whole thing is very charming if you’re into vintage cartooning.

[Horace]

Dec 5, 2020 19:09:21 GMT djnyr said:

The long series of Bucky Bug Silly Symphony pages are the best of the pre-Donald Symphonies strips, to me; the Bucky saga starts slow with the "search for a name" business, but most of it is a highly entertaining and surprisingly successful exercise in whimsical fantasy. The variety of rhyme-schemes and poetical metre is impressive--much more so than the more monotonous rhyming of the later Bucky comic-book stories--and the ingenious miniaturized world of Bucky and his friends is great fun to spend time in. Also, the Fly War sequence, though handled humorously, is full of memorably and unusually violent World War 1-inspired imagery, complete with on-stage mass death. Of the other Symphonies, the first Big Bad Wolf/Three Little Pigs sequence and Ambrose the Robber Kitten stand out to me. The Symphonies were never as fun after they abandoned the rhyming dialogue.

I would totally agree with that besides the Robber Kitten-story that didn't stick in my memory. The Bucky Bug run was the most enjoyable part of the first two SS books for me. That is really an underappreciated character. Second came the first comics with the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. I also liked the early, often wordless Donald strips which - in lack of own Duck characters at that time - often featured the supporting characters of the Mickey strip, basically everybody but Mickey himself, and the rather short adaptation of the Snow White film which is done in an interesting drawing style. Not much to say about the other shorter runs with not so well known characters. And I lost interest in the SS strip after Taliaferro left, so I didn't buy the other volumes.

Also agree with deb, I really love the art style of the very early Disney comic strips. The Bucky Bug strips gave me back the feeling I had when I first read early Gottfredson-comics in my childhood.

[rochamocha]

Hello! I know this thread is a few months old, but I’d like to add my input nevertheless! I’ve only actually read the 1942-1945 installments of the Silly Symphonies- the ones featuring José and Panchito of the Three Caballeros- but I can say that those are definitely very charming and I would highly recommend reading them! Of course, I may just be biased as a huge Carioca fan, but I still do think they’re worth checking out. José’s serials basically feature him feigning the image of a big shot in order to win the heart of a pretty parakeet of the upper class named Maria Vaz. They chronicle his creative attempts at being lazy and avoiding work, and the irony comes in from the fact that José ends up working VERY hard to maintain this image. And Panchito’s are a series of misadventures of Panchito and his horse, Senor Martinez, featuring Panchito as a solo horseman.

Anyways, they’re really charming in their own odd way and I definitely think they’re worth checking out! Especially if you’re a Caballero fan, but even if not, they certainly have classic Disney appeal.

[alquackskey]

I've been meaning to post in here - I've picked up all four volumes, and am working through them slowly.

Still only on Volume 1, but I have to say, I absolutely ADORE Bucky Bug.
The rhyming is really creative, and he's such a fun little character so far.
Plus, I adore the aesthetic - Despite the fact that I've seen a million variations of a "shrunken-down" world, this one still manages to feel special. I would have given it some leeway given how long ago the comics were made, but I honestly don't feel the need to - it's so charming that it stands out on its own, even after all this time.

I haven't made my way to the Donald or Caballero themed comics, but I'm looking forward to them!

[alquackskey]

Another small update - I didn't clarify, but I ended up picking up each of the volumes over time and am reading through them chronologically.
As it stands, I finished Bucky Bug's story last night.

That was utterly amazing.

Obviously, given the fact that it's from the early 1930s, there are a few things that don't hold up too well, but I was a little shocked by how little of that there was - for the most part, I'd say the strip has more than stood the test of time.
The artwork was beautiful - obviously there are the blips where something is miscoloured, and a few things are a little inconsistent in their colour scheme, but it's not to a degree that it ruins the comic (at least in my own opinion, though I'd understand if someone found it distracting).
I mentioned it in my last comment, but really, the sense of scale is so well-handled; it really feels authentic as a journey into the enormous world that a bug would see. Given how many more recent series have done a poor job of imagining such a concept, it's surprising to see it done well in such an old comic. And yet, unlike so many other works, they do an amazing job of keeping things fresh and interesting. They give themselves multiple different backgrounds (Bucky's family home, Junkville, the trenches [Which really are as amazingly drawn as people make them out to be - the entire war with Flyburg is insanely high-quality]) and each one actually innovates in its use of the 'bug's world' concept.
The only one I'd say didn't do that would be Mother Goose Land, but it makes up for it with some fun takes on nursery rhymes and some creative imagery of its own (I adored the issue with the Crooked Man in particular).

The characters are another highlight; Bucky himself is a great protagonist.
His journey in finding himself is great, and he has many moments of weakness or showing his flaws that he doesn't feel like a generic do-gooder.
June falls into certain stereotypes at times, but I was surprised by her portrayal - given the discussions going around lately concerning Daisy, the amount of character June has caught me off-guard. Certainly better than I'd have expected for the 1930s, at least!
Not to mention Bo - my biggest grievance with the series was that he and Bucky never met again. Having such a kind, world-wise friend definitely had a huge impact on Bucky's life, and seeing such a genuine character is always refreshing. He's, of course, not perfect, but he always does right by Bucky- definitely one of the most memorable characters.

The rhyming was great for the most part - I'll admit that sometimes the changes in meter threw me, and sometimes the onomatopoeia made things a little unclear (I'd feel like a rhyme was missing, only to realize I was supposed to count a clang or whizz in the background), but once you understand it, it flows really well.

It certainly wasn't perfect - there were a few plot points that I wasn't quite happy with. Still, at the end of the day, I feel like that's at least in part because of the time period.
Still, the positives more than outweigh the negatives, and what's good really does stick with you.

I doubt that anything in the rest of volume 1 - or possibly even the rest of the Silly Symphonies strips - will even come close to how great Bucky Bug was.
What a fantastic story to open with!
And wow, that ending really was emotional - Bucky and June simply moving on to the next chapter in their lives, happy with how far they've come and thanking the reader for following their journey... it's poignant and it just feels right.

As far as volume 1 goes, I could honestly recommend it for Bucky Bug alone.